The recent recession has brought fiscal policy back to the forefront, with economists and policymakers struggling to reach a consensus on highly political issues like tax rates and government spending ...

Featuring both overviews and analyses of the countries discussed, this book will be of value to economists and policymakers seeking to understand fiscal policy in a global context.

The 2010 report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform recommends policy reforms, collectively known as the Bowles-Simpson plan, intended to stabilize America’s fiscal path.